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| Jackstones |
I have an ongoing love affair with Low Volume fabrics; my burgeoning collection was begging to be used, or at least some of it was, it's hard for me to cut it up. Anyway, after Bible Study on Monday Quiltkeemosabe sent me a link for website tutorial on "X" or Hummingbird blocks, thinking I might be able to use the technique on next month's block assignment. Well, as sometimes happens, I decided to experiment with a few larger blocks. The tutorial requires an EZ Dresden ruler to cut the wedge shapes, I didn't have one but I did have a 9 degree wedge and pulled out some brights to pair with the LVs, I had this pretty 10" block stitched up lickety-split. I really liked the effect. I decided to make a few more blocks (of course I did!) and stitch them together to get a good idea of how they would appear set block to block, they reminded me of playing jackstones on the concrete porch floor in the summer when I was a little girl.
One thing leads to another and I tried auditioning the reverse block on the outside as a possible border option. You see how these trains can become runaways in no time?
It was okay, but it wasn't as great as I had imagined.
I found the larger, brighter triangles to be too distracting.
I had some pale gray shot-cotton in the stash closet... "I wonder" I said out loud...and I set to cutting. Yes, that was exactly what I had in mind for this idea! I still have a LOT of planning to do: size being the main consideration; from there I will know how many pieces to cut. A plan is a wondrous thing! But, for now, this is but the seed for a larger quilt-to-be; one that harkens back to long, lazy summer days playing jackstones with a little red rubber ball on a smooth, cool concrete floor. Isn't that what summer is all about; taking the time to have some fun... playing a little? If the first thing you do doesn't excite you, feel free to scrap it and move on. In this case, I am SEW happy that I did just that! Don't worry about those border units I have removed, one can't ever have too many potholders, can they?
Life is Good!
10 comments:
isn't creativity the most wonderful thing? aaaahh such a delight to play in the stash...just like those darn potato chips....can't do just one!
Very clever border design. Yes, this does look like jacks. : )
Oh, I'm loving that border already!! Beautiful use of LV & brights. Love it!!
oooh, i LIKE this block! your story about playing jacks brought back a long forgotten memory for me. my mother used to play jacks with us and she was GOOD, until the day she got bifocals and tried playing.......
This is cool...and it does remind me of jacks! Great use of the low volume prints. I have a growing stash of them and I think I need to play with this idea... thanks for the inspiration!
One word - LOVE!!!!
At first I didn't understand what you were meaning when you said "jackstones" and then I opened up my mind (and vision) and realized you were talking about the children's game of JACKS with the little metal stars and a small ball. Played those for hours and hours and hours when a little girl ... so many variations of the game, too. The quilt is very nice ... like it a lot ... especially like the gray. I've accumulated a huge quantity of "low volumes" (didn't even realize it was happening). Inspired .....
I love how you're able to use your quilting skills to use a tutorial with one ruler to figure out how to use a different one that you already had. Knowledge of the basics and core concepts pays off!
Ideas that grab your brain and creativity can be so much fun! This is going to be a really energetic and vivid quilt.
What a wonderful quilt this will be! I had to go watch the tutorial, but I really like the way your blocks turned out with the narrower X. I have both rulers, maybe I'll give it a try :-) Such a great way of using some of those fabrics I want to show off!
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